Former All Black Dan Carter prepares for his departure to Japan

Former All Black Dan Carter will be making use of Skype and Facetime to keep in touch with his family during his next stint in Japan - his first spell living away from his two boys.

Carter has signed a two-year deal with the Kobe Steelers and is headed over to Japan next week, while his wife Honor Carter and their two sons, Marco and Fox, will stay at home.

While Carter was soon to leave New Zealand winter behind, to embrace a Japanese summer, Honor and his own kids would stay in New Zealand.

The separation would be punctuated frequently with breaks and the Japanese rugby seasons were short, he said, starting in September and wrapping up by the end of January.

"Because of that it means I get a lot more time at home and instead of travelling back and forth with the family I thought it would be easier just to settle them here, close to their family," he said.

"The beauty of Skype, and Facetime and all those things is it makes it a lot easier."

His stint in Japan will coincide with the next Rugby World Cup, which will be held there next year.

It followed on the heels of his contract at Paris club Racing 92.

Speaking to the Herald on Friday just a couple of days after flying in from Europe, at a TAG Heuer fundraiser for Carter's iSport foundation, Carter said the time at home had been valuable for catching up with friends.

The company had brought him back to New Zealand to celebrate their partnership and sponsor the iSport fundraiser at St Paul's College, in the Auckland suburb of Ponsonby, on Friday afternoon.

Carter raised $10,000 for iSport through a TAG Heuer throwing challenge, then held a kicking masterclass with a bunch of the foundation's aspiring sports enthusiasts.

The foundation was co-founded by Carter and Richie McCaw, with the aim to ensure all young Kiwis had the access and support needed to reach their sporting goals.

Carter said levelling the playing field for those who might have otherwise gone without, was "hugely important" to him.

"Basically because I've had the career, and a pretty fortunate upbringing where my parents have supported it," he explained.

"Being in this position now, it's a chance to give back and to help some of the Kiwi kids in New Zealand that are not as fortunate to have the money and to compete competitions, pay for a new pair of rugby boots."

iSport Foundation member Dayna Stevens, said the TAG Heuer fundraiser had been an awesome opportunity to meet the rugby great.

"Even though it's rugby, and I'm a footballer, it's good to see his leadership and just get to know him a bit," the 18-year-old said.

The foundation had helped Stevens get to Singapore, where she had played for the New Zealand Secondary School Girls Football Team.

She had also done the Tough Mudder challenge with Richie McCaw - an experience she said was "life changing".

Despite the separation from his family Carter was excited for his new venture, which he said would follow on for an "amazing" three seasons in France.

"Starting in Japan where it is a completely different culture again from France and New Zealand - I'm excited about that challenge."

"There's no better place to be living and playing than Japan over the next couple of years."